Corrosive ethanol blend hits our wallets

[caption id="attachment_71743" align="alignright" width="300"] A man carries a bag of rice in a granary in Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang province Tuesday April 29, 2008. Experts say prices for rice, corn, wheat and other food staples have skyrocketed in recent months, driven by record oil costs, severe droughts, the diversion of corn for ethanol use and rapidly growing demand in China and India.(AP Photo)[/caption]

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Russell T. Spears: In his column, “AAA wrong on ethanol” [Opinion, Jan. 14], Marshall Kaplan, advisor to Fuel Freedom Foundation, criticizes AAA for pointing out that alcohol added to gasoline is harmful to the automobile motor and fuel systems. He should talk to independent mechanics to confirm that even 10 percent alcohol is causing much damage to automobile engines and fuel systems.

The fuel pumps fail from

corrosion and can stop a car on a busy freeway. This is very dangerous. Fuel pumps are inside the fuel tank on most cars now, and it is very expensive to have the tank removed and opened to take out the fuel pump. Alcohol makes the engines run hotter and it wears them out sooner.

Alcohol also damages the valves requiring more expensive repairs. Ethanol has less energy than gasoline so cars get worse mileage when it is mixed with gasoline.

Small boats use fiberglass fuel tanks because they are safer than steel. However, the alcohol in the gasoline eats through the fiberglass tank, causing gasoline to spill into the engine space. The U.S. Coast Guard warned the Environmental Protection Agency about the danger of alcohol in small boats but the agency supports it anyway. I'm inclined to believe AAA more than our corrupt and incompetent EPA.

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MISSION VIEJO, Tom Anderson: I appreciated the recent editorial on the new ethanol blend [“Hit the brakes on new ethanol blend,” Jan. 10]. Unfortunately, we know the new blend of 15 percent ethanol will happen.

There is an adage about needing to “follow the money.” Businessman Warren Buffett controls most of the transporting of ethanol. Howard Buffett, his son, is chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Authority and Development Board and served on the board of Archer Daniels Midland Co. ADM transforms crops, such as corn, into agriculturally derived fuels and chemicals.

All the major car companies may be able to void warranties, according to AAA. So who is left to pay for all of the repairs?

Robert Citron's passing

SAN CLEMENTE, David Wiechert, former criminal defense attorney for Robert Citron: Orange County lost one of its finest today [“Robert Citron, behind O.C. bankruptcy, dies,” Local, Jan. 17]. Robert Citron, a dedicated public servant for more than a quarter century, exuded the most treasured human emotion – love. Bob loved his country, his county, his school, and, above all, his dear wife of more than 50 years, Terry. He will be missed.

Immigration truths

CORONA DEL MAR, Bill Cool: Bill Watkins' column, “Immigrants not a burden but a boon to economy” [Opinion, Jan. 14], makes strong arguments but glosses over some important facts.

Our nation's successes can be traced to our constitutional freedoms and immigration. Watkins is right to emphasize the importance of immigrants starting businesses that have helped generate economic growth.

Yet missing from his piece is that 57 percent of immigrant households with children receive some sort of welfare (this includes a large number of households with working adults in the home), according to the non-partisan Center for Immigration Studies. It was also misleading to assert “that immigrants take few, if any, jobs from native-born Americans.”

The Center for Immigration Studies showed that the number of working-age immigrants who are employed has risen from 21.2 million to 23.2 million. The native-born employment has risen by only one million to a total of 119.9 million. “A new analysis of government data shows that two-thirds of the net increase in employment, since President Barack Obama took office, has gone to immigrant workers, primarily legal immigrants,” according to CIS.

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